Two People Birthday Party
by kisaru
Summary: I was wondering if you'd, maybe, like to go out with me today. Naruto's face was perfectly bright when he said this. Like, you know, on a date. [NejiNaru fluff, Happy Birthday, Neji!]


Warnings: NejiNaru, fluff, crappiness, mistakes.

* * *

"No one ever seems to celebrate Neji-niisan's birthday anymore," Hinata quietly said.

"Eh? Why not?"

Hinata waved her hands in front of her. "It's just that Neji-niisan seems to have outgrown celebrating his birthday."

"But tomorrow's a Sunday, right? So he'll have nothing to do this year."

"A-ah. That's right."

Naruto punched a fist into the palm of his hand. "All right! I've decided then. Neji's been a good friend ever since I kicked his ass in the chuunin exams, right?"

"I guess that's true..."

"So I'll go wish him a happy birthday and make him celebrate it."

"No! I-I mean, you don't have to, Naruto-kun. He--"

"Everyone deserves a nice birthday, right? I'll invite a bunch of people, and we'll all go to his house in the morning and take him out for lunch!"

* * *

In the last afternoon, there was a soft tapping at the glass of Neji's window.

The long-haired boy was, at the time, just stepping out of the steaming bathroom, completely nude except for a white towel he held at his side. He frowned slightly as the tapping reached his ears. He wasn't expecting any visitors today, he thought as he hurriedly made his way into his bedroom to pick up a robe. The robe was folded neatly on top of his mattress.

As the tapping was left unanswered, the shutters rattled and shook with more insistent taps. Neji himself realized then that someone was tapping at his window instead of a door, and thought about what sort of person would knock that way if not a polite burglar.

Patting the front of the robe closed over his chest, he took long, graceful steps to his front window. He absentmindedly ran his fingers through his long wet hair, straightening a few loose tangles before peeking through the glass at the visitor on the other side.

"Finally! There you are, Neji!" came the muffled voice through the glass.

Two bright blue eyes and a flash of matted yellow hair.

Reasonably surprised, Neji instantly pulled his hands from his hair, holding them at his sides. "Naruto?"

The blond's cheeks tinted pink, and his eyes widened slightly. His hand went up above his eyes as he stared intently into the window. "Whoa! I didn't know you were showering!"

Neji's expression changed from surprised to bored. Of course, it was only Naruto, the boy he had had a crush on ever since he had gotten his ass kicked in the chuunin exam. There was no reason to be surprised about being surprised. "Just what are you doing here? If you have a message from one of my teammates, tell them I already know Gai-sensei is sick."

"He's sick? Wow! I didn't know that crazy sensei could get sick..." Naruto mumbled to himself. Then, shaking his head, he continued, "No! I have something else to tell you."

"Come to the front door," Neji bluntly ordered, leaving the window.

As he left, he could hear the muffled sounds of Naruto mumbling to himself again about whether or not it was something he had to "tell" or if it was something he had to "ask."

His mind was racing with questions and possible answers at that time as he gracefully stepped to the front door. That was the consequence for being a genius-- you often thought too much about things. Some times he envied Shikamaru, who seemed to think not much about anything unless it was shougi.

Neji threw the door open to be greeted by Naruto's grinning face beneath him. It was amusing how short the other boy was compared to him. It wasn't something very special at all; their age difference and Naruto's diet could be blamed for that.

What was strange, though, was the blond's choice of dress. No longer was Naruto wearing the bright blinding orange jumper he usually wore. Naruto instead was wearing a dark blue collared button-up shirt. It was like Naruto had tried to be formal, but couldn't find any other pants then his normal rolled up orange pants. It was different, to say the least. Much more serene.

"So, Neji..." The blond scratched innocently at his cheek. "I was wondering if you'd, maybe, like to go out with me today." Naruto's face was perfectly bright when he said this. "Like, you know, on a date."

Neji slammed the door in Naruto's face.

It was like every thought that was racing along the busy street that was his brain had had a full-force car crash with a wall, and thoughts after thoughts were piling on top of each other in one huge pile of burning automobiles. This couldn't really be happening. It couldn't be happening. Such idiotic and utterly disarming words could not have poured from the mouth belonging to such a boy named...

_Oh yeah_, Neji thought, the traffic starting to move again on the busy street that was his brain. _It's Naruto._

Slowly, Neji eased his front door open again, knowing with full confidence that Naruto would still be standing on his front step. He knew Naruto took longer to react than he did, so Naruto definitely wouldn't have had enough time to slouch unhappily and run away in rejection.

Neji's clear white eyes showed a bit of concern, though, when he saw the absolutely dejected and crushed expression on the blond's face on his front step. It was only an instant before the blond noticed the door had been reopened and lifted his head to paste a weak smile on his face. The taller boy felt something tug painfully at his chest then. He'd do anything to make it go away, whatever it was.

"Naruto. I'd like that-- to go out with you today," Neji said, his cheeks slightly flushed.

Naruto looked shocked for a moment.

"Wait. I'll go get dressed." Neji quickly spun on his heel (The quick motion of his turn caused the front of his robe to fly open), and he practically ran into his house with the intention of getting dressed. "Make yourself at home in the meantime," he called back. "I won't be long."

Neji took very long.

* * *

"So... where do you want to go?" Naruto asked, walking down the side of the road with his hands behind his head.

Neji lifted a fine eyebrow in question, hands buried in his pockets. He was wearing a loose t-shirt instead of his normal beige top. His ponytail was worn more tightly than it normally was. "You didn't have a plan when you invited me to come with you?"

The two of them were walking side by side. "Well, I thought I'd ask you where you want to go, you know?"

Neji inwardly groaned in exasperation. "I have no preference. It's about time for dinner, so we should go eat together."

Naruto stroked his chin thoughtfully for a very long time. There was only one restaurant his mind was telling him to go to at the particular time, but he remembered he had earlier gotten advice from Sakura. Sakura had told him not everyone enjoyed everything that he did, and that he should be more considerate with others' preferences. Still, it was very difficult to keep his mind off of ramen and think of another choice. Naruto hadn't gone to many other restaurants in his lifetime.

"Ichiraku Ramen," Neji finally said, his steps coming to a halt as he approached the ramen bar. "You like it, don't you?"

Naruto was knocked instantly out of his thoughts. Turning to the other boy, he nodded slightly. He hadn't noticed how far they had walked-- it was already night time. "But--But! We don't have to just because I like it! You can pick a place, you know!"

"...I like ramen, too," Neji simply replied, thinking the blond was really trying too hard to please him.

"Really?" Naruto blinked his bright blue eyes in surprise.

"Just because you like it doesn't mean you're the only one." Neji gave a half smirk, half smile. "Or are you not up to eating?"

It was unbelievable-- the thought of Neji smiling-- and Naruto was in a bit of shock. "Of... Of course not!" he blurted out. "I always want ramen!"

And this time, Neji gave a real smile, a genuine smile that made the younger boy blush and shiver and ruffle in his sandals. "Then let's eat."

* * *

It was night time in Konohagakure, and the inside of Ichiraku Ramen was dimly lit with soft orange glowing lanterns. Outside, the bright green lights of fireflies could be seen floating about the near empty street.

"We don't have to sit at a table, Neji. We can just sit at the bar over there..." The blond's voice was hushed as he leaned his head over to speak to the other boy. His elbows rested on the table's surface. Truthfully, Naruto hadn't even known Ichiraku _had_ tables.

Neji leaned his head in close to quietly give his reply. The warmth of their breaths mingled together. "I don't like bars. The chefs and the waiters always hear what you're saying, or they try to start a conversation with you."

Naruto tiled his head a bit in confusion. "But don't you like talking while you eat?"

Neji's expression twitched just a bit. "Not with people I don't know."

"I'll introduce you, if you're nervous to meet new people."

"I don't _want_ to meet new people," Neji hissed. Even if he had a blatant crush on Naruto (a crush which he intended to do nothing about), he did have to mentally scold himself some times for liking such an idiot.

"What? But meeting new people is great-- I'm sure they'd like you!" Naruto defended.

"That's not the point, Naruto." Neji's hair slipped off his shoulder and pooled onto the table.

"What do you mean? I do it all the time when I come here by myself." Naruto's blue shirt was buttoned incorrectly, Neji noticed.

Suddenly, Neji's tidy neat freak kicked in, and the older boy reached out, his fingers gently playing with the top button, causing it to come loose. He began unbuttoning Naruto's shirt with nimble fingers. Soon, Naruto's bare creamy chest and small pink nipples were exposed to view. And as Neji was buttoning the shirt back up, he pronounced his words slowly and clearly through gritted teeth: "I mean I'd rather be having a conversation with you, and I don't want anyone interrupting our time together."

It was a few moments later when they became aware of just how close their faces really were, and both boys blushed.

"Your shirt was buttoned wrong..." Neji's fingers moved up from Naruto's collar and brushed the front of his neck, and then they were at Naruto's chin. Neji felt his heart thumping loudly in his chest. No one could see them when the ramen place was so dimly lit. If he just tilted Naruto's head slightly upwards, he'd be able to press their lips together.

Neji quickly pulled away and pressed his back to the chair. No, he told himself. He couldn't do something like that to Naruto. He may have liked Naruto enough for the both of them, but that didn't mean Naruto liked him back.

There was a silence then.

"Ah..." Naruto started, his voice soft and hesitant. "...Thanks for the help."

* * *

Neji sucked gently on the tips of the light wooden chopsticks as he slowly finished off the rest of his noodles. His white eyes watched Naruto intently as the blond patted his protruding belly and burped into the air. Naruto looked like he was several months pregnant (Neji filed 'Naruto pregnant with child' under his fantasies for later), when, really, he was just very full from the meal.

Neji took the chopsticks from his lips and set them down on top of the bowl. "Naruto," he said quietly. Naruto made a small high-pitched grunt of acknowledgement, and the taller boy continued. "Why did you do this for me?"

"Because it's your birthday, right?"

The taller boy paused.

"No one ever celebrates my birthday," he said. It was a simple statement-- a fact.

"Well, see, what happened was--" Naruto quickly took a sip of milk from his glass, shaking his head as he put it back down. "I wanted to invite a lot of people to come celebrate your birthday and take you out for lunch. I went to everyone's house, but everyone was busy today, so no one could come except me."

"No one except you?" Neji raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah! Even Shikamaru was busy. And I thought it wasn't fair, you know? Sasuke gets all those girls giving him gifts and presents and dates on his birthday, so why don't you have any?"

Thoughtfully, Neji tapped his fingers along the side of his own glass. "...Do you have anyone give you presents on your birthday?"

"Me? No, not really. Sakura-chan says she doesn't want me getting the wrong idea about our relationship, so she doesn't give me anything. And Sasuke's just Sasuke. Kakashi-sensei, too. And Iruka-sensei tries, but he can't afford much of a present, so I tell him he doesn't have to."

_Not even Hinata-sama gives Naruto presents for his birthday?_

"Do you get any anonymous presents? From people you don't know?"

Naruto shook his head.

"...I see." _So Hinata-sama really hasn't given him anything. Maybe she's too scared?_

"Anyway, you've been really nice to me in the past, so you deserve something nice on your birthday. That's why I came." Naruto laughed slightly as he reached into the pocket of his orange pants and took out some money. Laying it out on the table with several light clinks, he continued, "Sorry I couldn't get you a real present, though. I wish I could have gotten more people. But this is nice, too, right?"

Naruto grinned brightly, and Neji suddenly thought about how many times that face must have been stolen from him. _Every time he walked to someone else's house and got turned down and told someone was too busy, did he feel even more rejected?_

Naruto had been walking expectantly up to every person's house, knocking on their door or tapping on their window, asking them to join him, and having the door slam shut in his face every single time. For this reason, Naruto had arrived at Neji's house later than he had planned.

"Naruto," Neji began again, his eyebrows furrowed in thought. Naruto blinked in acknowledgement. "You didn't have to do this for me," he said, his voice barely surfacing from his lips.

The blond's grin faltered a bit. "Well, I mean, don't get the wrong idea," he said. "It's not like I'm doing this out of pity or because I feel like I have to. Uzumaki Naruto doesn't do that. I actually kinda like spending time with you--"

He had heard enough of Naruto's explanation. He had thought enough about what Naruto felt about him. He just knew he wanted to kiss Naruto for what he had done for him. And he didn't have to think about that.

Neji leaned over the table and pressed his lips up against Naruto's.

Naruto's face burst with bright red color, his heart almost leaping out of his chest in surprise. he could feel Neji's lips moving slowly against his. He could see Neji's white eyes slipping closed before him. He could feel heat-- he could feel his own body heat, Neji's body heat, and some heat that had sprouted from a flame he could not see.

When Neji finally pulled away and sat back into his seat, Naruto couldn't help but giggle goofily.

"...You're welcome!"

* * *

Wanted to get this out before Neji's birthday ended, so there are lots of mistakes. Please forgive me! Happy birthday, Neji! 


End file.
